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The history of Les Misérables as a theatrical work is intricate. The musical was first performed in France in 1980, with British producer Cameron Mackintosh recognizing the potential of the piece and collaborating with authors Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil to create the stage adaptation. Interestingly, the French version currently being staged has been updated, consisting of about 25% new lyrics that reflect a more contemporary and socially aware take on Hugo’s tale.
While discussing the substantial rewrite, Ala and Price express that they had limited input on the updates themselves. Their focus remained on embracing the new lyrics while ensuring the emotional depth of the characters was maintained.